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bipolar disorder diagnosis

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Q: What does a “Working diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder” mean?
The psychiatrist says the person has Bipolar Disorder but the psychologist says this is a working diagnosis and nothing is set in stone. What does this mean?

A: Its kind of both. Its basically a tentative diagnosis, or a temporary diagnosis until they can run more tests or do what ever they have to do to be certain.

Q: Do you think the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder is being used way too much?
It seems like I keep hearing of more and more people who have bipolar disorder. I can name at LEAST 15 people I know who “have” bipolar. Plus, I hear of others having it all the time too.

What do you think about that? Do you see it too, or am I reading into something that isn’t there?

If SO many people have bipolar, maybe it is actually “normal” and those who don’t have the diagnosis are NOT “normal”….. (Yes, I need sleep lol)

A: I think the term bipolar isnt being defined the way it should be. There are many different levels of bipolar illness. Some are debilitating and require lots of medication, and attention, and can render ones life incredibly difficult. Some types occur once every 4months, last about 2 days, and are only moderately inconvient to the patients everyday life.

I also think, people read in a book a FEW of the symptoms and do a self diagnosis. They are using the disorder as an excuse to be less productive, and have people feel sorry for them.

Yeah, i know: me saying i have bipolar illness doesnt really mean jack right now. But it is frustrating to have people when you say you have an illness – roll their eyes because people have exploited the term and taken the signifigance of the statement out of it.

I dunno. Yeah, its annoying, its distracting, and people dont take real cases seriously anymore.

Q: Are there any physical tests to support a diagnosis of bipolar disorder?
I know a patient prescribed with Lithium has regular blood tests to monitor Lithium levels. If a test is done before any Lithium is taken will that act as confirmation of a diagnosis?

Are there any other external tests?

A: No, there aren’t any external or objective tests. It sounds as if you are suggesting that perhaps someone with bipolar disorder has a low level of lithium in the blood which could be diagnostic – this is NOT the case at all. Bipolar isn’t a deficiency disease. The action of lithium is not to replace something missing (i.e. it’s not like taking thyroxin when one has an underactive thyroid). The blood tests are to ensure that the level of lithium in the body is enough to be a therapeutic dose, because people vary so much in how they metabolise it. There’s more about this at http://www.realmentalhealth.com/bipolar/lithium_2.asp

Q: bipolar disorder diagnosis/confidentiality?
Hey i was just wondering what the diagnosis procedure was for bipolar disorder? i know it’s quite complex because there a no solid biological tests that can be run, but is it a general gp diagnosis, do you have to get transferred to specialists, is it quite a quick process or is it a number of sessions over a period of time.. any info would be greatly appreciated!

Also is the medical professional allowed to confirm anything related to the illness to members of family, bosses or anyone that could be deemed to have a level of responsibility for the individual..

thankyou.

A: Like Gabe said, it is a very long process to get a diagnosis. I have been bipolar since my teens but was not diagnosed until I was 40. I was treated for depression for 20 years but the bipolar wasn’t diagnosed until I had a pure manic episode, who talks to their doctor about being too happy……. Any professional that would diagnose you in just a visit or two is a complete quack. It takes a long time and even then after more time your diagnosis can change as your therapist learns more about you. You need to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist for a mental health diagnosis, a GP cannot do it.

Yoru health records (including your mental health records) are completely confidential. They CAN NOT be shared with anyone without your permission.

Q: Is this a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder?
Is this a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder?
Is this a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder?
Hi. I seen the psychiatrist the other week. I am 22 and live in Scotland. The psych put me on 15mg of the anti-psychotic Olanzapine(Zyprexa) for high mood i believe. I asked him do i have Bipolar and he said “it sounds like it”.Is this a diagnosis?I imagine i must be if i am on an anti-pychotic right?Thanks for your time

A: Yes, you need help Lisa/Sarah because you seem to have a split personality. Lisa and Sarah both live in Glasgow or Scotland, both are 22 and both ask over and over about Zprexa and if they’re Bipolar and both go to doctors and ask if they’re bipolar and both have a doctor who answer “It sounds like it. Lisa/Sarah I suggest you stop wasting the time of people who answer your fake questions and try to help you or at least close one of your troll accounts.

Q: What does a diagnosis of Bipolar Affective Disorder mean?
I am currently in therapy and have been for the past year. My therapist suggested I see his company’s psychatrist for possible management of my then depression. So I went to see this doctor. He has since diagnosed me as being Bipolar Affective Disorder without ever telling. What does this mean?

A: Bipolar Affective Disorder, aka, Bipolar Disorder (used to be called Manic Depression) is a mood disorder. Bipolar refers to the moods of depression and mania.

Depression is characterized by sadness, fatigue, loss of interest in life, weight loss or gain (without trying), low self esteem, feelings of hopelessness, thoughts of suicide, etc…

Mania is characterized by rapid speech, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, hallucinations, grandiose ideas (feeling like god or a celebrity), being easily distracted, poor judgment, etc…

There are two main types of Bipolar Disorder- Bipolar I Disorder- which includes episodes of depression and mania and Bipolar II Disorder- which is depression and hypomania (a more mild form of mania).

Having this diagnosis means you have had episodes of depression and mania (or hypomania) in your life and it is most likely that you will have them again. It is a long-term illness.

There seems to be a genetic component to Bipolar Disorders- it seems to run in families.

If you like your therapist then stay with him and with the psychiatrist. If you do not like them then find ones you like because this is a disease that needs long term treatment and support. It is a good idea to find a support group for people with this type of mood disorder.

Good luck and I hope you find the help you are looking for.

Q: can you PROVE a diagnosis of mania or bipolar disorder?
Is there a chemical or hormonal test a doctor can give you to prove these disorders? OR do they just ask you questions about your mood swings and hand you the anti-depression/psychotics/anxiety prescription?

Has anyone out there been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or manic depression and calmed their symptoms with natural ways like exercise, healthy living, meditation, positive thinking/reading concentration? If so how and what would you suggest as an alternative to pill popping super meds for the rest of your life?

A: There is no chemical or hormonal marker in the blood that gives a “gold star” diagnosis for bipolar disorder. Bipolar is generally diagnosed after a thorough psychological evaluation by a psychologist or psychiatrist who evaluates the symptoms of the patient to see if they fit the symptomology of bipolar disorder.

Manic episodes are usually the easiest way to diagnose bipolar I disorder, because it is very difficult to confuse a manic episode with anything other than bipolar mania. Bipolar II is much more difficult to diagnose because people with bipolar II may spend as much as 90% of their mood swing periods in the depressed state, and their hypomanic symptoms may be difficult to pinpoint because they are often just viewed by the patient as “a really good mood” and not seen as problematic. Cyclothymia is also difficult to diagnose because of the absence of both mania and major depressive symptoms. Bipolar NOS can end up being a catch-all for patients who exhibit symptoms that are bipolar in nature, but do not fit the criteria for bipolar I, II, or cyclothymia.

There is some evidence that the brains of people with bipolar disorder are structurally different in some areas than the brains of “normal” non-affected individuals, and a PET (positron emission tomography) scan can detect these abnormalities in the brain. PET scans are very expensive though and rarely used in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Blood tests may be given to an individual who presents with bipolar like symptoms, to rule out other physical causes for the mood swings (such as thyroid, prolactin, or other hormone imbalances). But like I said before, there is no marker in the blood for bipolar; a blood test would only be given to rule out other conditions that may mimic the symptoms.

Bipolar disorder is not like unipolar depression (AKA major depressive disorder, or clinical depression) because it is extremely biological in nature, much more so than unipolar depression (which also has a biological component, but not as strong of a link). The majority of people with bipolar disorder, especially bipolar I, need maintenance medication for the rest of their lives to control their mood swings and allow them to live a normal, productive life.

Using natural methods like exercise, good nutrition, meditation, therapy, etc. can help improve the quality of a patient’s life, but they do not replace mood stabilizing drugs as a front-line treatment for bipolar disorder, and have not been proven to be any more effective than placebo in controlling depressive and manic episodes. While nobody enjoys the idea of having to be on mood stabilizing medication for the rest of their life, the alternative – living with untreated bipolar disorder – is usually a much worse situation to be in.

I hope that helps. Good luck!

Q: Where do you go to get a bipolar disorder and schizophrenia diagnosis?

A: You will have to go and see a clinical psychologist.

Q: Is Bipolar II a valid mental disorder, or the latest diagnosis du jour?
When you read a description of Bipolar Disorder, Type II, it reads remarkably like the human condition. It sounds more or less like a personality type, not a pathology. And what counts as a ‘hypomanic’ episode, anyway? A good day? It seems so arbitrary and subjective to me.
I once had a therapist who told me that mood swings and bipolar II are the same thing. I think too many shrinks are just overpaid hacks spouting unscientific garbage.

A: A lot of psychology is arbitrary and subjective. It irritates me to see a lot of people self-diagnose themselves as bipolar without knowing the true symptomology. Mood swings do not count as being bi-polar.

Do I think it exists? Yes. Do I think it’s often confused for a part of the human condition? Most definitely.

Q: Is it possible to have a diagnosis of Cyclothymia, Depression AND Bipolar disorder?
My GP wrote a report on me stating that I had all three conditions at the same time. I don’t believe it’s possible to have even two of them at once. I believe Cyclothymia is a less severe form of Bipolar, and Depression when combined with hypomania is a symptom of Cyclothymia, not a disorder in itself.

A: Cyclothymia is in fact a mild form of bipolar. I have known people to go from having Cyclothymia disorder to progress onto having bipolar. Depression is part of bipolar so can not be classed as a separate disorder. hypo-mania is also a sign of bipolar type 2 disorder. You could have what they call bipolar “NOS” (not otherwise specified. this is when you don’t come under any of the other types such as bipolar l bipolar ll or Cyclothymic disorders. take care good luck

Q: to what extent is the diagnosis of bipolar disorder linked to fears associated with national security?

A: None.

Q: PLEASE HELP! How long does it take for a dr/clinician to diagnosis bipolar disorder?
I believe that I may have bipolar disorder, and I will be going to a clinician next week to discuss my issues. I am unable to work because of extreme anxiety and depression, I was trying to find employment but all it did was give so much anxitey. I did work for the same employer for over 14 years and it kills me to even think that I would be unable to work ever again, because of this, I have worked since I was 15. Someone told be that if I am diagnosed with bipolar I can apply for SSDI because it is considered a disability, which would be great because since I have not been working things are just spiraling in a downward direction financially. This time of the year is going to be especially heartbreaking because i hav no income. I have 5 boys, but only 2 I am responsible for because the others are of age. It is very hard for me to accept the fact that there may be something wrong with me. Any words of advice or wisdom from someone who has been through something similar and how long it took for a diagnosis to be established, would be greatly appreciated.
To P.E.R.V.: This information about being bipolar came from my PCP and she is the one that suggested I see a clinician. Believe me I do not want a label, I have 2 children that have very legitimate labels and i hate the fact that they are “labeled”. Believe me i don’t want to crawl into a hole I am on meds and hopefully this will help. I have been or was in the social service field for over 14 years helping people and I know that there are alot of people out there that milk the system and would rather sit on there fat behinds to have someone hand them everything. Believe me I am not looking for a free ride or looking to sit on my behind and have things handed to me. I did check with a website allsup and a lawyer to see what I would be eligible for if it did come down to it and it is not $650 per month i would have to live off of it is approx 2100 per mth that i could be potentially elig for. But thanks soooo much for your advice. :)
Dear piji_caj:

Thank you for your support and your kind words of hoping that that I feel better soon. Its nice to get kinds words and support especially from strangers and someone who has experience with it. It sounds as if you have been through alot yourself and got through it and is possible. The clinician I am going to see seems to be very understanding and hopefully will get me to a better place soon. Good luck to you too!!!!!

A: The only way you get can get disability for mental disorders is:

1) Have you been hospitalized?
2) Have you tried to commit suicide?
3) Have you been on medication for awhile and not able to get better?
4) Have you had multiple jobs and not been able to hold a job?

I think your idea of trying to get money sucks.. “being diagnosed Bipolar would be great”. It is not great dealing with mood swings, taking heavy duty medications, being hospitalized, being so depressed you can’t get out of bed and want to die, being so manic that you climb bridges and threaten to jump, or spend all your money buying things you don’t need.

You should be trying to get help so that you can stabilize and get back to work and back to a normal life instead of sucking money from the government. I have been Bipolar 1 for over 12 years and meet every criteria above and have been on disability after trying to kill myself. But as soon as I get stabilized, I get back to work and off disability and I NEVER thought of my illness as “great.”

Q: i want to know if someone diagnosis with bipolar disorder works as health care worker. thanks?
i want to know if someone diagnosis with bipolar disorder works as health care worker. thanks

A: Your question is a bit confusing. Do you mean that ‘if someone has bipolar disorder can they be employed as a health care worker?’.

If that is your question then the answer is Yes. If they are capable of doing the job they can be hired.

Q: What are the statistics with regards to Bipolar Disorder and Asperger Syndrome dual diagnosis?

A: Apparently it’s fairly common, but it’s not a well studied area of psychology. I did a quick google scholar search, and I found this paper that might be of interest to you:

High prevalence of bipolar disorder comorbidity in adolescents and young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: A preliminary study of 44 outpatients by T. Munesue, Y. Onoa, K. Mutoha, K. Shimodaa, H. Nakatania and M. Kikuchi, 2008.

I’d start there and then look through the citations and papers that cite it to see what comes up.

Q: The Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder: What Does It Really Mean?

A: What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder (also called manic-depressive disorder) is an illness that causes extreme mood changes that alternate between manic episodes of abnormally high energy and the extreme lows of depression.

Bipolar disorder may cause behavior so severe that you may not be able to function at work, in family or social situations, or in relationships with others. Some people with bipolar disorder become suicidal.

What causes bipolar disorder?
The cause of bipolar disorder is not completely understood, but the disorder runs in families and may also be affected by your living environment or family situation. An imbalance of chemicals in the brain is another possible cause.

What are the symptoms?
During a manic episode, you may be abnormally happy, energetic, or irritable for a week or more. You may spend a lot of money, get involved in dangerous activities, and sleep very little. After a manic episode, you may return to normal, but your mood may swing in the opposite direction to feelings of sadness, depression, and hopelessness. When you are depressed, you may have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions; have changes in your eating and sleeping habits; and lose interest in things you once enjoyed.

The mood changes of bipolar disorder can be mild or extreme. They may develop gradually over several days or weeks, or come on suddenly within minutes or hours. The manic or depressive episodes may only last a few hours or for several months.

How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?
Because it has many phases and symptoms, bipolar disorder is complex and hard to diagnose. There are no lab tests for bipolar disorder; instead your doctor or therapist will ask detailed questions about what kind of symptoms you have and how long they last. In order to be diagnosed as bipolar, you must have had a manic episode lasting at least a week (less if you had to be hospitalized). During this time, you must have had three or more specific symptoms of mania, such as needing less sleep, being more talkative, behaving wildly or irresponsibly in activities that could have serious outcomes, or feeling as if your thoughts are racing.

Your urine and blood may be tested to rule out other problems that could be causing your symptoms.

How is it treated?
Bipolar disorder is mainly treated with medications to manage manic episodes and periods of depression. Your doctor may try several medications before finding the right combination to manage your symptoms long-term. Medications include mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. Antidepressants are used carefully for episodes of depression, because they cause some people to cycle into a manic phase.

Counseling for you and your and family is also an important treatment for bipolar disorder.

People with extreme cases of mania may be hospitalized to protect them from risky behaviors, such as driving recklessly or having delusions. During a severe bout of depression, hospitalization may be necessary to prevent the person from committing suicide.

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